Post navigation

Hello, thanks for dropping by again. I hope you’re enjoying my posts about photos that inspired me while writing every one of my books. As I said before, some authors make detailed outlines, chapter-by-chapter, to refer to. Some authors post sticky notes around their computer to remind them where they’re going with their story, and yet others, like me, post photos to keep me inspired while I write.

About Chasing the Dead

MadridArrende finds herself kidnapped by the Apache. Her wealthy father, Don Erasmos Arrende, is determined to rescue her. There is only one man capable of bringing her back alive…Deacon Bannister. Deacon doesn’t give one whit about the large sum of money Don Erasmos has offered him to find his daughter. He only cares about bringing the woman he left at the altar a year ago home.

A ghost is terrorizing the Apache village and the young maiden, Sacheen, has been banished by her People for unleashing Uday’s wrath. Now, Deacon, Madrid and Sacheen must flee for their lives across the rugged New Mexico landscape with the evil spirit in hot pursuit. Willthey make it back alive to Madrid’s father’s hacienda or will

Deacon lose Madrid forever?

Here are some photos I posted to the wall while writing CHASING THE DEAD (Bannister Brothers series), a #paranormal #romance.

The story takes place in 1884, New Mexico, a beautiful state! I had to post a photo of the terrain in New Mexico to remind me harsh and wild (and yet beautiful) it was in 1884. Mountains in the back, and white aspens frosted over in winter.

Hacienda – This might be similar to what the Arrende hacienda looked like (Madrid’s home).

By the eighteenth century a typical hacienda was an elaborate institution. In addition to the main house and its guest quarters therewere stables, a general store, a chapel, a school, equipment stores, servants’ quarters, granaries, corrals and a forge. Clothing was produced at the hacienda from cloth woven on the premises.

Sacheen, the Apache Indian Maiden, who helps Deacon and Madrid flee from the vengeful ghost that’s tracking them across New Mexico. Sacheen knows a lot about the weather and how to survive in such a brutal land. A brave young woman, she faces a sinister ghost during the story, even though the Apache greatly feared dead spirits.

Sacheen would have been dressed similar to the picture on the left. Traditional Apache women’s clothing consisted of buckskin dresses. The introduction of commercial cloth brought about the two-piece camp dress for women. Traditional footwear of the Apache are high boot-like moccasins. Apache moccasins have a distinctive up-turned toe, which is purely decorative in nature.

Animals the Apache Avoided:SnakesDo not enter the reservation with snakes or any product made of snake skin or

any part of the animal. The Apache do not communicate with this animal; it is considered a bad omen to have contact with a snake.

BearsThe bear is an animal the Apache do not have contact with because bears are highly respected. Never touch a bear, its waste materials, footprints, bedding area or anything the bear has touched. Do not call him by his name. The Apache people refer to him as “my grandfather” or “my uncle.” If you cross paths with the bear, tell him to go into the dense forest and live where no other entities set foot. Do not enter the reservation with the following: bearskin hides, claws or teeth.

OwlsThe owl is a night creature and the Apache people do not have contact with this animal. Avoid having a night owl near you. It is considered a bad omen if an owl hoots near you day or night.